Stupid Crime of the Week: Officer Takes Down Hammer Wielding Suspect With Cans of Beans

A man attempting to hold up a Florida grocery store with a hammer was neutralized and subsequently arrested by an industrious officer who hucked two cans of baked beans at the back of his head.

According to reports, 25-year-old Justin Stanford walked into a Bay County grocery store last Thursday after wrecking his car outside of the store.

Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford and a number of other officers responded to the grocery store situation after having received faulty information that there was an armed suspect with hostages, and that one person had already been shot.

Upon arrival, the authorities saw that Stanford was wildly swinging a hammer, and pointing it like a gun. It was evident that this particular weapon was not a gun, but unsure if the suspect was armed, the authorities proceeded with caution.

In the security video of the incident, Bay County Sheriff’s Major Jimmy Stanford (no relation to Justin Stanford, the suspect) is seen approaching the suspect from behind, while the suspect is engaged with two other officers in front of him.

Seeing the weighty cans right beside him, Officer Stanford quickly grabs one and whips it at the back of the suspect’s head. The suspect staggers a bit, and the Sheriff’s Major takes another can and pummels the hammer wielding hold up artist a second time. The suspect is seen falling down, and the crew of officers overtakes him.

Justin Stanford faces charges of assault, assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, and resisting arrest with violence. He is now in Bay County Jail, and it is uncertain whether he has an attorney.